Garment or ironing press



y 1935. J. c. LEDBETTER v ,0 8

GARMENT OR IRONING PRESS Filed June 26, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR TTORNEY5 May 21, E93 J. c. LEDBETTER J GARMENT OR IRONING PRESS Filed June 26, 1950 5 Sheets$heet 2 83 INVVENTOR BY 'ammd fer ATTORNEYS May 21, 1935. J. c. LEDBETTER 2,002,185

GARMENT OR IRONING PRESS Filed June 26, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Q INVENTOR JZmm (6mm! [eakl'fer M ATTORNEYS Patented May 21, 1935 1mm: arm

, ARMENT on James Caiml'od Ledbjetter,'JacksonHeights,N; assignor to The Prosperity Company, Inc, Syracuse, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application June 26, 1930, Serial ,No. 463,850

' 17 Claims.

This invention relates to garmentor ironing presses and has forits general objectthat of producing a new pressing mach-ine of simple and compact structure and particularly a new -.jawoperating means. i V

Among others, an important object is to pro- ,duce improvements-in operating means fort one of the jaws of a garment or ironing press wherein ,thempper jaw, ordinarily called the pressing or ironing head, is actuatedback and forth in re iation to the lower jaw or buck by actuating the I upper jaw througha compound motion including ,a vertical and lateral; direction, whereby the ironing head is moved upwardly and rearwardly improvements in motor means for garment and i work on the buck.

from closed to opened position to fully expose and clear the buck and thus render it convenient to the operator inlaying and smoothing outthe work onthe lowerstationary buck and removing it therefrom. j A I A'further object of the invention is to produce ironing presses and particularly. improvements in fluid-pressure motor means.

' Other objects are alsoin viewand are carried out in the examples of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

i Figure l is a side elevation of the ironing. press with the pressing or ironing hea d in upwardly limited position to fully expose and clear the l Figure 2 is a detailed cross-sectional View taken,

coacting press jaws are brought together evenly in perfcct registry or alignmentso that the front edges, for examplelof the head and buck are adjustedto meetfin alignment or out of alignment depending on the desire of the operator and the work to be. done. r s a Figure 5 is a side elevation of a slightlyfmodi fled form of ironing press, the same being shown in closed position and a camandroller means being employed to guide the head carrying upright member or lever instead of radius-link means, asdisclcsed inthe former views; In accordance with the principles of this invention, .there are, provided,.improvements in motor means for swinging the press or ironing head to opened and closed position as Well as for producing high jaw compression, improvements in press or ironing-head-carrying ,means, together with novel radius and compoundmotion-support means to actuate the headwatrying member through a bodily-swinging motion in:relation to "the frame, improvements in frame construction, as welias improvements in jaw-, alignment-adjustment means, and other features. A c Any suitable form of press or ironing machine frame 1 may be adopted and preferably a rear extension 8 is formed on the upper end thereof and it is-usual to provide a work table 9 in machines .of this kind. A stationarypress buck or lower jaw is carried on the frame anda press or ironing head comprising an, upper jaw H is adapted to-be actuatediback and forth in relation to the head ii to press andiron the work between the'ooacting jaws :IB and H. The press jaws H! and l I are ordinarily heated, but that is the usual practice and hence is omitted from this disclosure j .A jaw carrier. member is provided in the form of an upright or lever having a lengthwise downwardly directed portion l3 which extends into the frameand an upper horizontal extension which isattached to the ironing head IL This swingab-le upright may comprise two spaced members as shown in the mal View or in some forms ofconstmctionvit comprises a broad one piece plate member, its flanges or webs l2 integrally adjoining each other to stiffen and brace the upright'means This upright jaw carrier 13 is indirectly pivoted in the frame by improved radius-link means which operate to swing the upright carrier 13 and its head throughout a compound movement. To this end, an upper pair of long radius links 15 are spaced apart and have one end thereof pivotaily attached at IE to the head carrier [3. i The links 15 move into horizontal position at the instant the head I! engages the buck 10 which avoids any slipping or frictional action of the head on the buck to wrinkle or displace the lay of the work.

i The other ends of the radius links l5 are pivotally mounted on cams l1 which'are made on or fixedrto shafts VI 8 and said shafts l-8 are journailed in the frame extension 8." A handlelfl is fixed to theouter end of each shaft H! by which to rotate the shaft in the framed and hence adjustably rotate the cam ll therebt altering the position of the :link 15 in relation to the frame 1. There is provided any suitable form of lock means to hold the cam I! to its adjusted position and one example, as shown, comprises a plunger 2| carried by the handle I9 and adapted to project into any one of a number of sockets 22 formed in the frame portion 8. A spring 23 presses the locking plunger 2! into the socket 22, thereby locking the handle I9 in fixed relation to the frame 8. A release button or thumb piece 24 may be fixed to the outer end of the plunger 2| by which the operator can withdraw the plunger 2| from the socket 22 against the expansive force of the spring 23. The spring 23 is interposed between the arm I9 and a collar or flange 25 fixed on the plunger 2|. v

The foregoing cam-lock means and itsspring 23 continuously urges the locking plunger 2| towards the frame 8 and the locking plunger 2I readily drops into any one of the sockets 22 formed in the frame extension 8 on a radius described from the center of the shaft I8.to which the'handle- I9 is attached. The position of the cam Il may, therefore, be adjusted in relation to the frame I by unlocking the plunger 2| from its socket and then swinging the handle I 9 in either direction. The throw of the cams Il may be pointed toward the pressbuck III by swinging the handles I9 to the left in Figure 1; and in this way the front edgeof the movable jaw I I may be finely adjusted to register with the edge of the jaw I0. On the otherhand, if it is desired, the edges of the jaws may be altered to work out of register whereby a portion of the work or goods to be pressed is not engaged-by the head I I when it goes down upon the work. It is'noted that by swinging the handles I9 to theright in Figure 1 that the radius links I 5-are shifted to the left to move the front edge of the jaw I I out of register with the front edge of the press buck II]. .In this way, a margin or portion of the work on the buck is not engaged by the press head, but ordinarily the jaw edges are adjusted .to accurate eveness or alignment. I

With further reference to the head carrying upright I3, it is observed that it comprises two spaced members I3, the upper portions of which may be flanged as at I2 to'strengthenlthe uprights particularly where they curve forwardly atthe upper end to carry the head II. Viewing the two head-carrying parts I2-.I3 from the rear as in Figure 3, it is noted that the upper flanged extremities of the uprights are arranged relatively close together and that the flange il 2 of each upright forms a seat or flat rest to abut the upper surface of the head II for the purpose of attaching the head to the swingable upright means.

The flange or Web I2 forms a convenient means for attaching the heads to the uprights as well as strengthening or stiffening it. The two spaced uprights extend downwardly into the frame and may preferably be widened or spread apart as observed at 26 which designates a gradual outward curve formed in the uprights as they extend into the frame. The lower extremities of the uprights I3 mayto advantage be spaced apart-so: as 'to embrace an improved motor means shown here as a fluid-pressure motor which connects with the upright means I3 to actuate the head to and from the buck I0. a

While two cam-adjusting handles I9 may be employed, as observed from the rear view Figure 3, it is to be appreciated that one adjustment handle I9 and may be utilized and a single means I8 be journaled in the frame,.if desired; In this way,- a single shaft I8 may span the'distance between the two frame extensions 8 and a handle I9 may be attached at one or both ends of a single shaft as desired. In any event, the adjustment handles I9 or some similar means may be disposed on the frame 1-8 or may be mounted on the upright carrier I3 depending upon preferred or equivalent means in manufacture. It is to be noted that the pair of upper spaced and long radius links I5 move into a substantially horizontal position when the press head II has reached pressing position against the buck I6. Asthe pivots I6 swing upwardly and describe an are about the frame cam pivot II, it is noteworthy that the presshead II not only moves vertically but laterally away from the buck II) to clear the work and remove the hot head II away from the operator for added comfort and safety in Working on this pressing machine.

Coming now to a description of means for guiding the lower end of the upright swingable carrier I3, it is observed that a pair of short radius links 26 are spaced apart in the lower portion of the frame I under the buck I and have their upper ends pivotally attached at 21 to the lower ends of the swingable upright I3. The lower ends of the short radius links 26 are anchored by key, pin or otherwise to a motor-driven shaft 28 which is journaled in a motor housing 2930 which is itself anchored to the frame I. The motor shaft 28 rotates in the housing 29 and hence in the frame I in a horizontal position. In this way, the short radius links 26 are disposed in the frame I somewhat below the longer radius links I5. This relationship of upper long and lower short radius-link means I and 26 causes a rapidly tilting lateral movement of the head Ill when the head carrier I 3 is raised and lowered by motor means. It is also observed that the horizontally disposed motor-driven shaft 28 is disposed parallel to the longitudinal axis of the jaws. The arrangement of the jaw-operating mechanism in the frame simplifies design and reduces the number of moving parts. i

The motor housing shown in the drawings is one example of construction and other forms may be used. The particular motor housing shown may include two ends or closure plates or cylinder heads 29 sealing a cylinder means 36 at its ends, the axis of which is defined by the motor-driven shaft 28 heretofore described. The cylinder 30 is mounted in a horizontal position and journals the shaft 28 therein, and the radius links 26 are fixed on shaft 28 at each end of the cylinder 30 adjacent its heads 29. In other words, the short radius links 26 revolve about the axis of the cylinder 30 and are adapted to be driven by the shaft 28.

As a matter of fact, the shaft 28 carrying a radius link 26 at each end and the pivot 21 at each upper end of the radius links 2t, all together constitute a crank means 26-28 adapted to operate what amounts to a connecting rod means I3 to reciprocate the press head I I by this simple jaw-operating means. I have utilized a simple fluid-pressure motor means to oscillate the shaft 28 but any suitable motor means may be employed therefor.

Each radius link or crank arm 26 is extended in the form of an arm 32 and reaches in a direction' opposite the pivot points 21. A novel counter balancing arrangement is presented as a part of this invention and includes a counterbalance weight 33 carried on the outer ends of the spaced arms 32. It is observed that the counter Icylinder 35 and reaches from one arm 33 to the other arm 32.. In other words, the counter weight 33 and its two supporting arms .32 may wellbe made integral inconstruction and straddle, so tospeak, the motor cylinder 30 or the motor may be arranged in between the crank arms 26.,

As noted from the rear view, the short radius links or crank arms .26 are merely formed as an extension of the weight carrying arms 32 and this forms, in effect, a levermeansin that the arms 28-32 form a lever with themotor shaft 28 as a fulcrum therefor, the uprights 43 being carried on one end of the lever 26-42 and the weight 33 on the other end thereof. The head H and weight l3 may balance each other to provide a smooth running mechanism;

The improvedmotor means comprises the cylinder 30 with heads 23 and the cylinder portion .maybe formed on a base :34 which is anchored to the frame I. The cylinder means 30 does not necessarily constitute a complete cylinder and instead of carrying a cylindrical type of reciprocating piston of the ordinary. form, I'have provided a fluid-pressure responsive member in the form of an oscillating pressure vane or piston plate 35, the inner edge of which is anchored to the motorshaft 28 and the outeredgeof which brushes the inner face of the cylinder "means 30. A contact brush 36 is spring pressed outwardly to form an air pressure or steamtight flt between the oscillating plate 35 and the cylinder wall 30.

The inner end of the fluid-responsive vane 35 is designed in the form of a cylinder hub 3.! and has a running fit with a seat 31 formed in the motor base 3!. The seat 31 and brush35rprovide a fluid-pressure tight fit between allportions of the oscillating plate 35 and-stationary motor housing 29-30. Fluid pressure applied against the piston vane 35 is adapted to rotate the motor shaft 28 to operate the pressing machine as will fully appear. By admitting fluid pressure to the motor or particularly to the cylinder 29, 33 on one side of the oscillating plate 35 and exhaust the pressure from the other'side, the motor shaft 23 is turned with great force.

The base 34 is provided with an inlet and exhaust port 39 to which an inlet valve 40 is attached. Fluid pressure, in the form of air, steam or liquid, admitted by valve 40 into the cylinder 30 behind the oscillating plate 35 forces the latter to rapidly swing about its axis'28 and hence swing the radiuslinks 2-6 downwardly thereby pulling downwardly on the uprights l3 to rapidly close the head ll against thebuck l0. Since the head 11 is balanced by-the weight 33, a high speed and smooth operation is attained with minimum fluid pressureconsurnption.

The motor'base 34 is also provlded with a, port 9 "42 located above theother inlet port 39 just described. The two fluid-pressure ports 39 and 42 are designed to alternately admit and discharge fluid pressure from the cylinder 29, 30 in the operationof this new type of motor means-for ironing presses. A valve 43 connects with the upper port 42 and controls the admissionand discharge of .fluid pressure to and from the cylinder 29, 30 in a mannersimilar to the operation of the lower valve 45. Fluid pressure admitted through-valve 43 against the piston vane 35 actuates the latter in a counter-clockwise direction and hence lifts the radius links 26 upwardly to open the press by raislng the head I l.-

"Both valves 4! and 43 areconnected to the feed from the motor.

alight-hand control handle H :by power whereas it is ordinarily the practice g to close the press head bymotor means and open it by spring tension means or counter weights.

It is to be understood that spring or weight means 33 may be employed to over weight the press head l and hence open the press by mechanical means if desired, although I have shown'here the motor means operative in both directions to both open and close the'press.

Each valve 40 and 43 is provided with an arm 41 to rotate the valve core for opening and closing the fluid passages or ports 42 and 39 to and A link 48 connects the upper valve 43 with a left-hand control handle 39; and a longer link 50 connects the lower valve 40 with In this way, a two-hand control is provided with a left and right handle 49 and 5! for simultaneously actuating the two fluid-control valves 48 and 43 to set them inopposite directions whereby one valve is closed when the other is open.

. The lower valve 40 is connected with an exhaust pipe 53 and the upper valve 43 is connected with its exhaust pipe 54.- The lower exhaust pipe 53 is adapted to exhaust fluid. pressure from the lower portion of the motor or cylinder ZQ, 35 from behind the piston plate 35 when the latter swings counter-clockwise downwardly to open the press, as shown in Figure 1. On the other hand, the .upper exhaust pipe 54 is adapted to exhaust the fluid pressure from the upper portion of the motor or cylinder and from in front of the oscillating piston plate 35 when the latter swings clockwise upwardly to close the press head. These two actions are carried out by propersettingof the handles 49 and SI. The inlet pipe 35 supplies fluid pressure through one valve 43 and the time fluid pressure is flowing into the other side of the piston plate through'motive-fluid feed pipe 45.

The two valves-43 and 40 are in effect three way valves so that either valve may be set to transmit fluid pressure to the cylinder from intake line 45 or exhaust it therefrom through either exhaust pipe 53 or 54. The setting of the from said motor; and the upper valve 43 is set to connect the intake pipe 45 with the upper portion of the cylinder 29, 30 whereupon the-oscillating piston plate 35 has been driven downwardly in a counter-clockwise direction as shown and hence the upper valve 43 is set to cut off the exhaust pipe 54 from the cylinder 23, 33. The position of each valve is outlined in dotted lines, and it is seen in Figure 1 that the feed pipe 45 is connected with the upper cylinder portion and is cut off from the lower portion.

To open the press, the operator has set the two handles 49 and 5| to the position shown in Figure 1 which means that the fluid pressure is feeding through pipe 45, through valve 43 and is applied against the left side of the piston plate 35 to hold the press open. To close the press, the operator pushes down on both handles 49 and 5| mediate their ends'to the frame and pivoted at one end to each spaced member of 'the upright,

the press, and counterbalancelmea'ns including a lengthwise weight substantially as long [as the space between the upright members and carried upon the opposite ends of the arms from the con-- nection with the upright. i

a. a garment or ironing press, a frame,'a

coacting press head and buck, operating means therefor, including an upright disposed to the rear of the frame and havinganupper short horizontal portion directed forwardlyoveiand attached to the press head, alonger portion of the upright'being directed downwardly into the frame and forward at an anglewhereby its lower end terminates under the buck, said upright being formed of spaced members, counterbalance means including a lengthwise weight spanning the space between the spaced members of the upright, an armat each 'end'of the weight, a horizontal "shaft j'ournaled in the frame on which the arms are anchored intermediate their ends to oscillate with the shaft, the lower ends of theupright pivotally connected to the arms, and primemover'meansto oscillate the shaft to actuate the 5. In a garment or ironing press, a frame, a coacting pr'esshead and buck, operating means therefor, including an upright disposed to the rear of the frame and having an upper short horizontal portion directed forwardly over and attached to the press head, a longer portion of the upright being directed downwardly into the frame and forward at an angle whereby its lower end terminates under the buck, said upright being formed of spaced members, motor means mounted in the frame and including a semi-cylindrical housing having a horizontally disposed operating shaft, operating connections between the shaft of the motor means and the-spaced upright members, a counterbalance weight about equal in length to the serni-cylindrical member and mounted closely thereto, and an arm at each end of the weight pivoted on the shaft of the semicylindrical member to swing the weight in an are about the semi-cylindrical member when the motor means actuates the upright.

6. In a garment or ironing press, a frame, a coacting press head and buck, operating means therefor, including an upright disposed to the rear of the frame and having an upper short horizontal portion directed forwardly over and at-,

tached to the press head, a longer portion of the upright being directed downwardly into the frame and forward at an angle whereby its lower end terminates under the buck, said upright being formed ,of spaced members, a horizontal shaft journaled in the frame below the buck, a pair of spaced crank arms fixed on the shaft, motor means disposed between the crank arms and operatively connected with the shaft to oscillate the shaft and crank arms, the upright being pivotally connected to the free ends of the arms, and counterbalance means connected to the arms at the other ends thereof.

7. In a garment or ironing press, a frame, a coacting press head and buck, operating means therefor, including an upright disposed to the rear of the frame and having an upper short horizontal portion directed forwardly over and attached to the press head, anda downwardly directed portion: extending from the rear end of the horizontal portion, motor means below the buck including a horizontal shaft which oscillates substantially operating connections from the shaft to the upright, a motor, motor control means to actuate the motor tomove the shaft in one direction to open the "press and-in the other direction to close the press, and counterbalance arms fixed to'the horizontal shaft and extending rearwardly from the motor.

8. In a garment or ironing press, a frame, 00-

acting jaws including ajpress buck supported on the frame and a movable press head thereabove, an upright at the rear of the jaws extending downwardly into the frame below the jaws and having spaced members, the upright carrying the press head, spaced projections on the frame at the rear of the jaws extending rearwardly beyond the upright, operating means below the jaws between and connected with the spaced members of the upright to actuate the latter to open and close the press, spaced radiuslink means behind the jaws pivoted on the frame projections and reaching forwardly and pivotally connected to the upright, said radius-link means moving into horizontal position at the instant the press head closes on the buck, and axial adjustment means at that end of the radius-link means which'is pivoted 'on the frame projections to bodily shift said radius-link means in relation to the frame to line up the press head with the buck for precise operating registry of the jaws.

9. Ina garment or ironing press, a frame, coacting press jaws, operating means therefor, including a jaw-supporting member attached to one jaw to actuate the same, radius-link means pivoted on the frame and connected with the jaw-supporting member, cam-adjustment means journaled in the frame and on which the radiuslink means is pivoted, and handle means operatively connected with the cam-adjustment means for adjustably turning said cam-adjustment means to bodily shift the radius-link means to set the movable jaw in registry relation to the other jaw.

10. In a garment or ironing press, a frame, coacting press jaws including a head and buck, spaced portions forming a head-supporting member to open and close the press, motor means to actuate the press head, including a housing disposed between the spaced portions, a shaft journaled in the housing, a pressure responsive vane anchored to the shaft and adapted to oscillate in the housing under pressure of motive fluid admitted to first one side of said vane to close the press and then to the other side thereof to open the press, and means operatively connecting the shaft with the head supporting memher to swing the same.

11. In a garment or ironing press, a frame, coacting jaws thereon, a jaw-actuating means including a member attached to one jaw, means operatively mounting the jaw-actuating means in the press frame; and a fluid-pressure motor means, including a housing, a horizontal shaft journaled in the housing and each end of the shaft projecting from each end of, the housing, a fluid-pressure responsive plate anchoredto the shaft in the housing and adapted to turn the shaft, and an operating connection from each shaft end to the jaw-actuating means.

12 A pressing machine comprising a frame, coacting press jaws, motor means to actuate the press including a cylinder means of semi-cylindrical form mounted'in the frame under the.

press jaws, a motor shaftjournaled in a horizontal position in' and projecting from each end of the cylinder means; a lever fixed intermediate its ends on each projecting end of the motor shaft, an operating connection from one end of the levers to one of the jaws, a counter weight carried on the other ends of the levers and bridging the space between the levers, an oscillating piston plate working in the cylinder means and attached to the shaft, and control means to admit fluid pressure to the cylinder means to oscillate the piston plate.

13. A pressing machine comprising a frame, coacting press jaws, motor means to actuate the press including means ofsemi-cylindrical form mounted in the frame under the press jaws, a

motor shaft journaled in a horizontal position in and projecting from each end of the semicylindrical means, said motor shaft being mounted parallel to the longitudinal axis of the press jaws, a connection between the motor shaft and one of the jaws, and means to rotate the motor shaft.

14. In a garment or ironing press, a frame and coacting press jaws one of which is movable to open and close the press and the other stationary on which to lay the work, an upright with its upper end attached to the movable jaw and its lower end extending into the frame, means to swing the lower end of the upright in an arc, a pin and slot connection between the upright and frame and which includes a cam way lead-,

ing rearwardly and upwardly to similarly guide the upright and hence the movable jaw, and the lower portion of the slot being formed to impart a compensating motion to the movable jaw as the lower end of the upright starts its arcuate swing to eliminate the lateral motion of the jaw when'the latter is in contact with the work to avoid disturbing the smooth lay thereof.

15. In a press, a frame and cooperating press jaws, operating means therefor to move one jaw including a swingable member carrying the movable jaw and having spaced pivots on the swingable member for mounting it in operative position in the frame, a shaft operatively connected with the spaced pivots to move the latter up and down in the frame, a casing in which the shaft is journaled for rotation, a pressure responsive member fixed to the shaft and slidably engaging the casing to turn the shaft, and fluid pressure inlet and exhaust control means to alternately admit and discharge fluid pressure from first one side and then the other side of the pressure responsive member.

16. In a press, a frame and cooperating press jaws and operating means therefor to move one jaw, a swingable member, means mounting it in the frame including spaced pivot means, a shaft mounted in the frame means operatively connecting the shaft with the spaced pivot means to work the latter up and down in the frame, and motor means mounted between the spaced pivot means and operatively connected with the shaft to'turn the latter.

17. In a press, a frame and press jaws mounted thereon, an oscillatable vane motor means placed in the frame beneath the jaws and including a motor shaft disposed horizontally and which projects from each end of a semi-cylindrical casing, an upright swingable support attached to one of the jaws and having spaced bearings, and means operatively connecting the spaced bearings of the upright to the motor shaft on each side of the casing.

JAMES CAMROD LEDBETTER. 

